Deck box for a valve operator



April 14, 1910 P. M. BENJA'WN 3,505,912

DECK BOX FOR A VALVE OPERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1968 F s e.

ATTORNEB April 14, 1970 P. M. BENJAMIN 3,505,972

DECK BOX FOR A VALVE OPERATOR I Filed April 30, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNE$ United States Patent 3,505,972 DECK BOX FOR A VALVE OPERATOR Paul M. Benjamin, Binghamton, N.Y., assignor to Stow Manufacturing Co., Binghamton, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 725,401

Int. Cl. F16k 37/00, 5/00 U.S. Cl. 116-125 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A deck box adapted to be mounted in a deck remote from its related valve, which valve has an operating shaft, to indicate the relative position of the valve between its open and closed positions, comprising a cylindrical mounting ring in an opening in the deck; a cylindrical deck box housing secured within said ring and having a removable cover; a cylindrical adapter secured to the bottom of the housing and having an axially disposed bore therethrough; a lower spindle rotatabl journaled in said bore with its lower end keyed to the operating shaft of said valve; an axially disposed cylindrical support in said housing; an upper deck box spindle rotatably journaled in said support with its lower end engaging a polygonal bore of the lower spindle; a fixed annular plate secured to the top of the support and having an opening adjacent its side covered by a transparent plate having an arrow marked thereon; an internal ring gear below the plate engaging the wall of the housing; a shaft journaled adjacent the support and carrying a spur gear meshing with the teeth of the ring gear and carrying a notched Geneva gear adapted to be engaged by one or more pins on the upper spindle to rotate the ring gear step-by-step a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent notches of the Geneva gear as the spindles revolve; and indicia on the ring gear visible through the transparent plate denoting the relative position of the valve between its open and closed position.

Description of invention The objects of my invention are to provide a deck box for mounting in an easily accessible location remote from the valve, indicating control of any manually actuated valve in its size range; also to provide a deck box which is universal in its mounting as it may be mounted in steel decks as well as in wood decks; also to provide a deck box which is universal in its application as it will indicate up to 40 revolutions when using a single pin spindle, or up to 5 revolutions in revolution increments when using an 8 pin spindle; also to provide a deck box which will adapt to any straight or flexible shaft from .375" diameter up to 1.250" diameter; also to provide a deck box which would accomplish the above purposes while at the same time would decrease the cost of manufacture and increase the ease of assembly.

Other objects of the invention are to provide in the deck box assembly a mounting ring which need be welded only to a steel deck rather than welded first to the deck and then to the deck :box, thereby making it easier to install into the steel deck; also to provide on such mounting ring a welding flange used only with wood deck installations, the welding flange being welded to the mounting ring only, rather than to the deck box, thereby simplifying installations in a wooden deck.

Two major considerations for making the deck box universal were that (1) each different valve required a differently threaded spindle; (2) each different size of shafting required a different deck box housing, and as a result no deck box could be made for stock. Each deck box had to be made to order with almost unlimited variations.

The problem of recording and indicating the exact valve position by the remote deck box, was solved by utilizing a pin or pins in the deck box spindle which advances an 8 position Geneva type gear having cast as an integral part thereof a spur gear which intermittently moves an internal gear as the spindle rotates, the Geneva action being so formed that it is locked against the spindle except for the time it is in contact with the pin, thereby keeping the entire mechanism from moving due to vibration or other external forces. On the top side of the internal gear appears engraved numbers which can be read through a window in the deck box cover; while on the cover is engraved or stamped the number of revolutions required to open the valve, also the numeral 0 which always indicates that the valve is closed. Thus by comparing the number on the cover with the number in the window, the relative position of the valve between open and closed can be readily determined.

Heretofore, each valve with a difierent number of revolutions required from closed to open needed a spindle with an external thread requirement that would drive a nut from the bottom to the top of the deck box in the same number of revolutions as the valve requirement. This was done by means of a collar at the top of the spindle. This collar was fastened to the spindle, but could rotate independent of it. It had a long guide pin welded into it, that protruded down through a hole in the threaded nut. The nut also had a slot that worked on a helix cast into the side of the deck box. As the spindle turned, the nut rode up the threads on the spindle. As this happened, the helix caused the nut to rotate. The pin from the collar caused the collar to rotate the same amount as the nut. The collar had a pointer cast into it that pointed to two plates engraved with the words open and closed.

In order to have a universal deck box according to my invention an adapter was designed, using the same casting from which six standard adapters could be made. These adapters would fit six standard flexible or straight shafts. The adapter was driven by a tang extending from the deck box, and it was fastened to the terminal by screws that hold the deck box housing to the mounting ring.

I will explain the invention with reference to the ac companying drawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of my universal deck box.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section therethrough.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section on line 66, FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77, FIG. 2.

As shown in the drawings, my deck box comprises a cylindrical mounting or welding ring 1 open at both ends adapted to be fixedly mounted in a deck, whether of steel or wood, with its upper end flush with the surface of the steel or wood deck. When mounted in a steel deck the upper end of the mounting or welding ring 1 would be welded in a circular opening therefor with its upper end flush with the upper surface of the steel deck. In cases, however, where the deck is primarily of wood the mount ing or welding ring 1 may be provided with an external flange 2, FIGS. 1 and 2, having its upper face disposed a distance from the upper end of the mounting or welding ring 1 equal to the thickness of the wood deck W, as

shown more particularly in FIG. 2. The flange 2 is provided with a spaced series of holes 2a therethrough for the reception of screws, bolts or the like, not shown, which would pass through the holes 2a and into the underside of the wood deck W, with the upper end of the welding ring 1 disposed flush with the upper surface of the wood deck F. Since the flange 2 is used only with wood deck installations it is welded only to the welding ring 1 rather to the deck and thus I have simplified installation in wood decks.

Within the welding ring 1 is a cylindrical deck box housing making a snug fit therein as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, said housing having its upper end terminating somewhat below the upper end of the mounting or welding ring 1, and being provided with internal threads 10a in its upper end, and with an external annular groove 10b adapted to receive an annular gasket 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At the lower end of the deck box housing 10 is an external flange 10d, FIGS. 1 and 2, underlying the lower end of the welding ring 1, as shown. The flange 10d is provided with spaced holes 10s for the reception of tap bolts 20 passing upwardly through said holes 10e into corresponding tapped bores 1a in the lower end of the welding ring 1, as shown in FIG. 2, to firmly secure the deck box housing 10 positioned within the welding ring 1 and for preventing rotation of the deck box housing therein.

A removable cover 21 is provided for the deck box housing 10, the same comprising a substantially disc-like body portion having a central non-circular recess 21a in its top and having an annular recess 21b in its bottom. The side walls of the cover 21 are threaded as at 21c to engage the threads 10a of the deck box housing 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper portion of the cover 21 overhangs the top of the deck box housing 10 but is spaced from the welding ring 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and confines the annular gasket or packing 106 in the annular recess 10b to prevent seepage of water or the like past the cover 21 and into the interior of the deck box housing 10.

Secured to the underside of the deck box housing 10 is an adapter 9 having a bolting flange 9a at its upper end of same diameter as the flange 10d of the deck box housing 10, and having spaced holes 9b provided therein for the reception of the tap bolts 20 which pass through the holes 9b in the flange 9a through the holes 10e in the flange 10d of the deck box housing 10 and which engage the tapped bores 1a in the ring 1 to securely hold the parts 9, 10 and 1 in fixed relation. Below the flange 9a the adapter 9 has a reduced cylindrical portion 9c below which is a further reduced cylindrical portion 9d for the purpose hereinafter described. Disposed axially of the adapter 9 is an upper cylindrical bore 92 below which the cylindrical bore is reduced in diameter as at 9f and below which the cylindrical bore is further reduced as at 9g, FIG. 2, for the purpose hereinafter described.

Housed within the adapter 9 is a lower spindle 13 having an upper portion 13a rotatable within the bore 9 of the adapter 9 but terminating short of the shoulder formed between the bore portions 9 and 9g. Portion 13a has an enlarged cylindrical upper portion 13b of less diameter than that of the bore 92 of the adapter 9, the upper end of the portion 13b terminating substantially at the level of the top or upper portion of the adapter 9; and a thrust bearing ring 14 is interposed between the lower end of the portion 13b and step or shoulder formed between the bore portions 9e, 9 of adapter 9.

In the top of the spindle 13 disposed axially thereof is a non-circular bore 130, which bore is preferably square and is provided for the purpose hereinafter described, the bore 13C being open at the top of the spindle 13. Below the portion 13a the spindle is reduced as at 13d making a rotating fit within the reduced portion 9g of the adapter 9, the portion 13d extending below the lower end of the adapter 9 as shown in FIG. 2, and a retaining ring 15 is provided on the downwardly projecting portion 13d of spindle 13 to lock the spindle 13 in the adapter 9.

Below the portion 13d of the spindle 13 is a reduced extension 13e having a key slot 13 therein to receive a key 22, FIG. 2, which locks the rigid or flexible shaft 23 thereto for rotation therewith, the shaft 23 leading to the relative inaccessible valve (not shown) or other fitting with which the deck box is associated. The sheath 24 for the shaft 23 extends upwardly around the shaft 23 and terminates at the shoulder formed between the portions 9C and 9d of the adapter 9, as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 2, and the upper end of the sheath 24 is secured to the adapter 9 by means of a screw 25 which passes through a hole in the upper end of the sheath and into a threaded bore 9x in the reduced extension 9d of adapter 9.

By the above construction, as the shaft 23 which controls by rotation the opening and closing of the related valve (not shown), with which the deck box is associated, is rotated, the lower spindle 13 will be correspondingly rotated within the adapter 9.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the deck box housing 10 carries intermediate its top and bottom a cylindrical support 10 disposed axially of the housing 10, same being connected with the side walls of the housing 10 by means of a webbing 10g, which webbing is disposed below the top of the cylindrical support 10 which support terminates somewhat above the lower end of the housing 10', as shown. At the lower end of the bore through cylindrical support 10 is a reduced bore 1011 for the purpose hereinafter described, and a portion of the wall of the cylindrical support 10f above webbing 10g is cut away on one side of the housing 10 for the purpose hereinafter described, and as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The cylindrical support 10) rotatably supports an upper deck box spindle 4 having an exterior annular shoulder 4a which rotatably engages the upper larger bore 10 of the support 10 in such position that the upper end of the upper spindle 4 projects somewhat above the top of the cylindrical support 10f, for reason hereinafter explained. The upper spindle 4 below the shoulder 40 projects somewhat below the lower end of the cylindrical support 10 and carries a retaining ring 11 to lock the upper spindle 4 in the cylindrical support 10 while below the retaining ring 11 the spindle 4 has a non-circular, preferably square, lower end 4b which fits in the square socket in the top of the lower spindle 13, as shown in FIG. 2, to cause the upper spindle 4 to rotate with the lower spindle 13, the upper spindle being readily removable from the lower spindle. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the upper spindle 4 is a non-circular, preferably square, recess 40 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Within the deck box housing 10 seated upon the top of the cylindrical suport 10 is an annular plate 26 having a central hole receiving the upper end of the upper spindle 4, and the plate 26 is secured to the top of the cylindrical support 10 by means of screws 27 so as to be non-rotatable with respect to the deck box housing 10. Between the outer edge of plate 26 and the wall of the housing 10 I provide annular packing 28, and similarly between the inner wall of the annular plate 26 and the wall of the upper spindle 4 I provide annular packing 29 to prevent seepage of water, etc., which may enter the upper end of the deck box housing when the cover 21 is removed from passing downwardly through the housing 10 and into the sheath 24 for the valve actuated shaft 23.

In the plate 26 is a circular sight opening 30 which is preferably covered by a transparent plate 31 on which is etched an arrow 32, as shown in FIG. 3, whereby when the cover 21 is removed from deck box housing 10 one may look directly through the sight opening 30 in plate 26 and read the indicia appearing on an underlying ring gear 6 for the purpose hereinafter described. On said plate 26 adjacent the opening 30 may appear indicia 33, 34, FIG. 3, indicating the direction of rotation of the ring gear 6 for opening and closing movements of the valve shaft 23 emanating from the valve associated with the deck box. 1

Rotatably mounted on the top of the webbing g between the upper face thereof and the lower side of the plate 26 is the internal gear ring 6 whose outer wall rotatably engages the inner wall of the deck box housing 10, said ringcarrying gear teeth 6a on its inner wall spaced from the upper deck box spindle 4. In the broken-away portion of the cylindrical support 10f is rotatably mounted on a shaft 35, as shown in FIG. 2, which carries on its upper end a spur gear 36 constantly meshing with the internal teeth 6a of the ring gear 6, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, for rotating said ring gear 6 when pinion 36 is actuated, or for holding said ring-gear 6 against rotation, except when shaft 35 is rotated by means of a Geneva gear 37 also mounted on shaft 35 as shown more particularly in FIG. 7. Opposite the Geneva gear 37 is a pin (or pins) 38 extending from the wall of the upper spindle 4, which pin upon rotation of the spindle 4 is adapted to engage one of the spaced notches 37a in the Geneva gear 37 and to thereby rotate the Geneva gear 37 and the pinion 36 through a distance of one Geneva gear notch 37a for each rotation of the spindle 4. As shown in (FIG. 7, the Geneva gear is provided with dwells 37b on its periphery intermediate the notches 37a which are arcuate in form to conform to the curvature of the upper spindle 4 so that when the tooth 38 has rotated the Geneva gear through one notch 37a the dwell 37b between adjacent notches will remain the Geneva gear against rotation until the pin 38 on the next revolution of the spindle 4 engages the next adjacent notch 37a of the Geneva gear and has moved the Geneva gear through an are equal to the spacing between the notches of the Geneva gear.

Thus the number and spacing of the notches 37a of the Geneva gear will determine the number of rotations of the Geneva gear 37 for each rotation of the deck box upper spindle 4, and of course the rotation of the Geneva gear will correspondingly rotate the internal gear 6 a corresponding amount of expose indicia 6b, FIG. 4, through the window 30 of the plate 26 to indicate the amount of opening or closing of the valve which is associated with the shaft 23.

As indicated in FIG. 4, the indicia 6b thereon will indicate that forty revolutions of the upper spindle 4 will rotate the ring gear 6 one complete revolution. By sighting through the window 30 the exact degree of opening or closing of'the valve operated by the deck box will be apparent at a glance to indicate the degree of opening or closing of the related valve.

Thus the problem of recording and indicating the exact valve position, by the remote deck box, was solved by my use of a pin or pins 38 in the deck box spindle 4 which advances an 8-position Geneva type gear 37. Cast as an integral part of this Geneva gear 37 is the spur gear 36 which moves the internal gear 6. The Geneva action is so formed that it is locked against the upper spindle 4 except for the time it is in contact with the pin 38. This keeps the entire mechanism from moving to vibrating or other external forces.

On the top side of the internal gear 6 the engraved numbers can be read through window 30 in the cover plate 26 on which cover is engraved or stamped the number of revolutions required to open the valve; also the indicia 0 which always indicates that the valve is closed. By comparing the number on the cover plate 26 with the number in the window, the relative position of the valve between open and closed can be determined.

Previously, each valve with a different number of revolutions required from closed to open needed a spindle with an external thread requirement that would drive a nut from the bottom to the top of the deck box in the same number of revolutions as the valve requirement. This was done by means of a collar at the top of the spindle. This collar was fastened to the spindle, but could rotate independent of it. It had a long guide pin welded into it, that protruded down through a hole in the threaded nut. The nut also had a slot that worked on a helix cast into the side of the deck box. As the spindle turned, the nut rode up the threads on the spindle. As this happened, the helix caused the nut to rotate. The pin from the collar caused the collar to rotate the same amount as the nut. The collar had a pointer cast into it that pointed to two plates engraved with the words open and closed.

In my invention some of the factors contributing to reduce manufacturing costs are: (l) the deck box is smaller, therefore requires less material and less weight (2) the welding ring is smaller; (3) the welding flange is smaller; (4) the spindle is much smaller and has no threads; (5) the main housing casting is a straight draw casting with no coring; (6) no large quantities of metal removal or deep undercuts required; (7) it is easy to assemble; and (8) it can be manufactured as a stock item thereby utilizing mass production procedures.

I claim:

1. A deck box adapted to be mounted in a deck remote from a related valve which has an operating shaft to indicate the relative position of the valve between its open and closed positions, comprising a cylindrical mounting ring adapted to be mounted in opening in the deck therefor, with its upper end flush with the upper surface of the deck; a cylindrical deck box housing secured within said ring; a removable cover for said housing; a cylindrical adapter secured to the underside of the housing and having an axially disposed stepped bore therethrough; a stepped lower spindle rotatably journaled in said bore with its lower projecting end keyed to the operating shaft of said valve; an axially disposed cylindrical support in said housing; said support having a stepped bore; a stepped upper deck box spindle rotatably journaled in said bore of the support with its upper end disposed above the top of the support, and with its lower projecting end making a quick-detachable connection with the lower spindle to rotate the two spindles as a unit; a fixed annular plate secured to the top of the support, said plate having an opening adjacent its side covered by a transparent plate having an arrow marked thereon; an internal ring gear journaled below the annular plate, said ring gear having teeth on its inner wall; a shaft journaled adjacent the support; a spur gear on said shaft meshing with the teeth of the ring gear; a notched Geneva gear on said shaft adapted to be engaged by one or more pins on the upper spindle to rotate the ring gear step-by-step a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent notches of the Geneva gear as the spindles revolve; and indicia on the ring gear visible through the transparent plate denoting the relative position of the valve between its open and closed positions.

2. In a deck box as specified in claim 1, said mounting ring being welded to the wall of an opening in a steel deck.

3. In a deck box as Specified in claim 1, an external annular flange welded on said mounting ring a distance from the top of the ring equal to the thickness of a wood deck; said flange having spaced holes for the passage of securing screws therethrough into the underside of the wood deck.

4. In a deck box as set forth in claim 1, said stepped bores of the adapter and lower spindle progressively decreasing in diameter downwardly; a thrust bearing ring interposed between the underside of the upper step of the spindle and the bottom of the upper step of the adapter; and a retaining ring around the spindle above its lower projecting end engaging the lower end of the adapter.

5. In a deck box as set forth in claim 1, said stepped bores of the support progressively decreasing in diameter downwardly; the upper bore receiving an annular flange on the body of the upper spindle intermediate its ends; and a retaining ring around the spindle above its lower projecting end engaging the lower end of the support.

6. In a deck box as set forth in claim 1, said cover having threaded side walls engaging internal threads in the wall of the housing; an annular flange at the upper end of the cover overlying the upper end of the housing; and an annular packing disposed in an annular recess in the upper end of the housing and engaged by the lower face of said flange.

7. A deck box adapted to be mounted in a deck remote from a related valve which has an operating shaft to indicate the relative position of the valve between its open and closed positions, comprising a 'cylidrical mounting ring adapted to be mounted in an opening in the deck therefor, with its upper end flush with the upper surface of the deck; a cylindrical deck box housing snugly fitting within said ring; means for removably securing the housing within the ring; a removable cover for said housing; a cylindrical adapter secured to the underside of the housing also by said securing means and having an axially disposed stepped bore therethrough; a stepped lower spindle rotatably journaled in said bore having an axial non-circular bore in its upper end, the lower end of the spindle projecting below the adapter and being keyed to the operating shaft of said valve for rotation therewith; an axially disposed cylindrical support in said housing connected by webbing intermediate the ends of the support to the walls of the housing, a portion of the support above the webbing at one side of the housing being broken away; said support having a stepped bore; a stepped upper deck box spindle rotatably journaled in said bore of the support with its upper end disposed above the top of the support, and its lower projecting end corresponding with and engaging the non-circular bore of the lower spindle to rotate the two spindles as a unit; a fixed annular plate secured to the top of the support and making a fluid-tight fit between the wall of the housing and the upper spindle; said plate having an opening adjacent its side covered by a transparent plate having an arrow marked thereon; an internal ring gear interposed between the webbing and annular plate and engaging the wall of the housing, said ring gear having teeth on its inner wall; a shaft journaled in the webbing in the broken-away portion of the support; a spur gear on said shaft meshing with the teeth of the ring gear; a notched Geneva gear on said shaft adapted to be engaged by one or more pins on the upper spindle to rotate the ring gear step-bystep a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent notches of the Geneva gear as the spindles revolve; and indicia on the ring gear visible through the transparent plate denoting the relative position of the valve between its open and closed positions.

8. In a deck box as specified in claim 7, said mounting ring being welded to the wall of said opening in a steel deck.

9. In a deck box as specified in claim 7, an external annular flange welded on said mounting ring a distance from the top of the ring equal to the thickness of a wood deck, said flange having spaced holes for the passage of securing screws therethrough into the underside of the wood deck.

10. In a deck box as set forth in claim 7, said stepped bores of the adapter and lower spindle progressively decreasing in diameter downwardly; a thrust bearing ring interposed between the underside of the upper step of the spindle and the bottom of the upper step of the adapter; and a retaining ring around the spindle above its lower projecting end engaging the lower end of the adapter.

11. In a deck box as set forth in claim 7, said stepped bores of the support progressively decreasing in diameter downwardly; the upper bore receiving an annular flange on the body of the upper spindle intermediate its ends; and a retaining ring around the spindle above its lower pro jecting end engaging the lower end of the support.

12. In a deck box as set forth in claim 7, said cover having threaded side walls engaging internal threads in the wall of the housing; an annular flange at the upper end of the cover overlying the upper end of the housing; and an annular packing disposed in an annular recess in the upper end of the housing and engaged by the lower face of said flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,515,837 7/1950 Quinn 137364 XR 2,959,149 ll/1960 Schwenk 116--l25 2,984,127 5/1961 Schwenk 116-125 XR HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 137--362, 553 

